Method and apparatus for conserving power consumed by a vending machine utilizing audio signal detection

• US 7,856,289 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantaloupe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Van der Hoop, Dan, Schanin, David, Strong, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/875,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 221/150.R, 221/3, 221/9
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/23 Time delays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/06 by forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/0682 Two or more fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/04 in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A vending machine that dispenses items for use with a power source. Power control circuitry is electrically coupled between the power source and one or more vending components of the vending machine. A controller is adapted to manage the supply of electrical power to such components by transitioning between a normal-operation mode and at least one power-conserving mode. An audio signal detector is provided that generates at least one dispensing event signal that represents the occurrence of one or more sound-based dispensing events. The controller transitions between the power-conserving mode(s) and the normal-operation mode based upon the at least one dispensing event signal from the audio signal detector, and possibly other data signals supplied to the controller.

Claims

1. A vending machine for dispensing at least one vending item, comprising:

a vending component within the vending machine;

circuitry for supplying power to the vending component;

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of the at least one vending item, the detected sound indicating that the at least one vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for controlling said circuitry to transition between first and second operating modes based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode the circuitry supplies power to the vending component and in the second operating mode the circuitry cuts off power to the vending component,

wherein the audio signal detector includes a noise compensation unit that compensates for ambient noise, the noise compensation unit dynamically changing a level of the detected sound that indicates a dispensing event based on changes in ambient noise level, the noise compensation unit including first and second amplifiers such that the second amplifier is coupled to an output of the first amplifier to generate a feedback signal for one input of the first amplifier, a level of the feedback signal corresponding to the ambient noise level.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode responsive to the dispensing event signal indicating the at least one vending item is being dispensed.

3. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer for measuring an elapsed time from a last dispensing event indicated by said dispensing event signal such that the first operating mode is transitioned to the second operating mode responsive to the elapsed time exceeding a predetermined threshold.

4. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a dispensing unit for dispensing the at least one vending item and for generating one or more sound-based dispensing events during the physical dispensing of the at least one vending item, the dispensing unit including at least one of;

(1) a dispensing port through which the vending item to be dispensed is passed for delivery;

(2) an access unit that is operated for delivery of the vending item to a patron;

or (3) a mechanized unit that selects the vending item from a plurality of vending items.

5. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the audio signal detector includes a sound-based event detector disposed in a vicinity of one or more of the dispensing port, the access unit or the mechanized unit to sense the sound generated by the physical dispensing of the at least one vending item during a respective sound-based dispensing event.

6. A vending machine for dispensing at least one vending item, comprising:

a vending component within the vending machine;

circuitry for supplying power to the vending component;

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of the at least one vending item, the detected sound indicating that the at least one vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for controlling said circuitry to transition between first and second operating modes based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode the circuitry supplies power to the vending component and in the second operating mode the circuitry cuts off power to the vending component,

wherein the vending component includes at least one of;

a compressor, a circulating fan, or a cooling system.

7. A vending machine for dispensing at least one vending item, comprising:

a vending component within the vending machine;

circuitry for supplying power to the vending component;

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of the at least one vending item, the detected sound indicating that the at least one vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for controlling said circuitry to transition between first and second operating modes based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode the circuitry supplies power to the vending component and in the second operating mode the circuitry cuts off power to the vending component,

wherein the controller is adapted to automatically transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode based on at least one of an ambient temperature, an internal temperature or a shutdown timer value indicating power to the vending unit is to be restored.

8. A power management system for a vending component within a vending machine that dispenses vending items, comprising:

circuitry for supplying power to the vending component;

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of a respective vending item, the detected sound indicating that the respective vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound;

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for controlling said circuitry to transition between first and second operating modes based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode the circuitry supplies power to the vending component and in the second operating mode the circuitry cuts off power to the vending component; and

a dispensing unit for dispensing the respective vending item and for generating one or more sound-based dispensing events during the physical dispensing of the respective vending item, the dispensing unit including at least one of;

(1) a dispensing port through which the respective vending item to be dispensed is passed for delivery;

(2) an access unit that is operated for delivery of the respective vending item to a patron;

or (3) a mechanized unit that selects the respective vending item from the vending items, wherein the audio signal detector includes a sound-based event detector disposed in a vicinity of one or more of the dispensing port, the access unit or the mechanized unit to sense the sound generated by the physical dispensing of the respective vending item during a respective sound-based dispensing event,

wherein the audio signal detector includes a noise compensation unit that compensates for ambient noise, the noise compensation unit changing a level of the detected sound that indicates the respective sound-based dispensing event based on changes in ambient noise level, the noise compensation unit including a feedback amplifier in a feedback loop of another amplifier to adjust a level of a feedback signal which is compared to the detected sound such that the level of the feedback signal corresponds to the ambient noise level in the detected sound.

9. A power management system for a vending component within a vending machine that dispenses vending items, comprising:

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of a respective vending item, the sound indicating that the respective vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for selectively placing the vending component in one of a first operating mode or a second operating mode based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode power supplied to the vending component is greater than the power supplied in the second operating mode,

wherein the audio signal detector includes an ambient noise compensation unit for compensating for ambient noise in the detected sound by changing a threshold that is compared to the detected sound, the ambient noise compensation unit including an operational amplifier configured as an integrator and lowpass filter to generate the threshold from an ambient noise component of the detected sound such that the detected sound is compared to the threshold to generate the dispensing event signal.

10. The power management system according to claim 9, wherein the controller includes:

a normal-operation controller for controlling operations of the vending machine in the first operating mode, as a normal operating mode; and

an override controller for overriding the normal-operation controller during the second operating mode, as a energy-savings operating mode.

11. The power management system according to claim 10, wherein the override controller generates a control signal to selectively disable a supply of the power to the vending component.

12. A power management system for a vending component within a vending machine that dispenses vending items, comprising:

an audio signal detector configured to detect a sound generated by a physical dispensing of a respective vending item, the sound indicating that the respective vending item is being dispensed, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing event signal in accordance with the detected sound;

a controller for receiving the dispensing event signal from said audio signal detector and for selectively placing the vending component in one of a first operating mode or a second operating mode based on the received dispensing event signal, wherein in the first operating mode power supplied to the vending component is greater than the power supplied in the second operating mode; and

a time-of-year sensor for dynamically changing a condition for placing the vending component in the first or second operating modes based on at least one of;

(1) one or more predetermined times of a day;

(2) one or more predetermined days of a week;

or (3) one or more predetermined holidays.

13. A vending machine for dispensing a vending item, comprising:

a vending component within the vending machine;

an audio signal detector configured to receive a sound generated by a physical dispensing of a respective vending item, the detected sound indicating that the respective vending item is being dispensed, the audio signal detector configured to compare the detected sound to a threshold, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing signal based on the detected sound exceeding the threshold; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing signal from said audio signal detector and for selectively placing the vending component in one of a first operating mode or a second operating mode based on the received dispensing signal, wherein in the first operating mode power supplied to the vending component is greater than the power supplied in the second operating mode,

wherein the audio signal detector includes an ambient noise compensation unit for compensating for ambient noise by changing the threshold that is compared to the detected sound, the ambient noise compensation unit including an operational amplifier to generate the threshold from an ambient noise component of the detected sound such that the detected sound is compared to the threshold to generate the dispensing signal.

14. A vending machine for dispensing a vending item, comprising:

a vending component within the vending machine;

an audio signal detector configured to receive a sound generated by a physical dispensing of a respective vending item, the detected sound indicating that the respective vending item is being dispensed, the audio signal detector configured to compare the detected sound to a threshold, and the audio signal detector configured to transmit a dispensing signal based on the detected sound exceeding the threshold; and

a controller for receiving the dispensing signal from said audio signal detector and for selectively placing the vending component in one of a first operating mode or a second operating mode based on the received dispensing signal, wherein in the first operating mode power supplied to the vending component is greater than the power supplied in the second operating mode,

wherein the audio signal detector includes an ambient noise compensation unit for compensating for ambient noise by changing the threshold that is compared to the detected sound; and

wherein the first and second operating modes are normal and energy-saving modes, respectively and the vending component is a cooling component of the vending machine.